


Burdens to Bear

by SucculentStrawberries



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Accidental wetting, Clothed Wetting, Desperation, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Omorashi, Wetting, akira's probably gonna be dying to pee again less than an hour after this, i also love akira putting everyone's needs ahead of his own even when he's mcfreaking suffering, i love futaba being a good friend, maybe even get a bladder infection rip akira why did you do this to yourself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 04:04:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13115637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SucculentStrawberries/pseuds/SucculentStrawberries
Summary: Akira was requested to accompany a friend on an important shopping spree, but this outing doesn't turn out to be quite as fun as expected. When someone really needs you, how can you abandon them for something trivial?





	Burdens to Bear

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I pulled off Futaba's character well enough, I only really know her main storyline bc I didn't get a chance to raise her Confidant levels during my first playthrough!
> 
> This was a draft I got nearly 2000 words into one night when the plot bunny bounced into my head and refused to leave, then I slowly added to it during my free time. I don't know why Akira's always my victim, he's just such an easy target for these scenarios. For someone so focused on being prepared for palaces, he really doesn't take much time for his own needs when he has so many friends and allies to help instead!

"Hey! Are you _sure_ you're okay?"  
  
"I'm fine. Just like I was the last time you asked me. Now get back in the bag before someone sees you."  
  
Morgana flattened his ears and ducked away from the hand he'd tried to use to nudge him back undercover. "If you were fine, it wouldn't feel like an earthquake in here every time she turns her back to you!" the feline hissed quietly, blue eyes glaring pointedly at him. "Just tell her you'll be back in a few minutes!"  
  
"She's just starting to make progress, and I'm not going to be the one that ruins it. Remember the last time she came here and I wasn't with her? She had a panic attack and was crying her eyes out when we found her with that officer! I can tough it out until she gets done looking around in here."  
  
"Promise you'll tell her as soon as we get out of this store?"  
  
"I promise." Akira muttered, fighting the urge to roll his eyes in irritation. Mona was only pestering him because he cared. He couldn't hold that against him. "But don't try to rush her, alright? If you keep quiet, I'll get you some sushi on the way home." Best to offer the cat an incentive, or else he'd probably rat him out the next time he started shifting from foot-to-foot.  
  
"Sushi?!?" Morgana quickly realized how loudly he'd meowed, and ducked his head back into the bag after a quick nod of agreement. Akira glanced around at the crowd, his heart beating a bit faster, but they were all too busy rushing back and forth through the aisles to take notice of the sound. Good. He'd hate to get them kicked out of here when Futaba was enjoying herself so much.  
  
This store was one of the biggest electronic shops in Akihabara, and she'd texted him at midnight last night begging him to come along for some kind of blowout sale. He didn't really know the specifics for most of the items, but from what she'd been telling him, it involved games, accessories, and 'a ton of things that would be perfect for a new custom rig'. Whatever that last part meant...  
  
It'd been fun for the first hour or two. They'd browsed a lot of aisles and she'd asked him for opinions on a few games (he'd even picked up a few for himself), then they'd explored the headset options for another 40 minutes. Futaba had chattered more today than she had for the rest of the time he'd known her, explaining all kinds of geeky or technical things in the hopes she could educate a 'noob' like himself. It was really cute, actually, the smug grin she'd get when she pretended to sigh and put on a condescending tone to explain whatever term he'd ask about.  
  
For all her growing confidence when she chattered to him though, it seemed to keep evaporating whenever she had to speak to one of the workers or fight past some of the ruder shoppers hogging aisles or blocking things she wanted to buy. That was why he couldn't abandon her here. Even if she probably wouldn't mind once he told her why he wanted to duck out, he couldn't leave her surrounded by all of these pushy people who were fighting to grab the items off the shelves or snapping at them to move. It could send her backsliding right into the shell she was finally peeking out of.  
  
And actually...what if she misinterpreted his leaving as just a flimsy excuse to avoid listening to her or hanging out with her? He would never pull something like that, but Futaba had been isolated for so long, and social cues were still a work in progress...he wouldn't put it past her anxieties to turn a simple sentence into proof they weren't actually friends.  
  
No, he'd stay here while she debated all of these complicated computer parts for however long it took, and then he could deal with his own errand. Trying not to jiggle his legs as much, lest he shake the backpack and earn Mona's scolding again, he glanced past a few heads until he spotted the bright ginger one, then took the handful of steps over to her side. "Find anything cool yet?"  
  
Her glasses glinted in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the store as she looked up at him, and he briefly wondered if his own were glaring as brightly. " _Maybe._ There's so many models here, and each one fits different specifics I had in mind. I'm starting to rethink what build I wanna go for, y'know?"  
  
"I'm sure whatever you pick will work well. You're our tech wizard, right?" He offered a grin of reassurance, trying to ignore the urge to grimace. If she was rethinking all of her plans for this big computer thing, it would be _at least_ another hour in here.  
  
_This is for her, not for you. Don't be selfish. Let her take her time._  
  
Her lips curved into a small smile at the compliment as she fidgeted with the sleeve of her jacket. "Yeah, but I still want to be a hundred percent sure before I buy any of this. Skills can't compensate for bad equipment. Um, could you, maybe...ask the sales rep to come over here? I, um, I-I'd like to grill her on some stuff..."  
  
He nodded quickly, but before he could even say 'Sure' she grabbed his arm, clinging to it almost like he was a parental figure. "Y-You'll, um, you'll stay here while we talk, right? I don't wanna go into a boss fight solo!"  
  
One day she'd be able to do things like this without him, and he'd be so proud of her. But today wasn't that day.  
  
"Of course. I won't leave your side the whole time." Gently tugging his arm free, he gave her a thumbs up before tracking down the staff member and leading her back to the aisle. "My friend here would like to ask you a few questions about your products."  
  
As Futaba took the lead, he stood a foot to her right, making sure not to block the objects on display. _This is going to take a while..._ he thought, a pool of dread churning in his stomach as the two began a very long, complicated conversation about... _whatever_ this was about. He really should have read that programming book he'd seen in the school library last week. Maybe then he could at least distract himself by listening with interest instead of zoning out.  
  
Three long-winded questions in, he found himself squeezing his legs together, keeping his hands in his pockets as he tried to maneuver them in a way that could help alleviate his growing dilemma without committing the sin of an obvious crotch-grab in the presence of two women. He could _sort of_ reach, but in all honestly, it wasn't helping at all. He bit his lip for just a moment, reaching a free hand up to brush his bangs out of his eyes.  
  
Next time, he'd definitely remember to use the bathroom before he rushed out of Leblanc and hopped on the train, no matter how many plans he had scheduled. And he'd ease up on the coffee at breakfast...  
  
~~~  
  
Glancing at his phone for what had to have been the twentieth time during Futaba's stammering interrogation of the employee, he realized it had taken half an hour before she'd finally finished. She was grinning up at him as he tucked the object back into his pocket, and he offered a thin-lipped smile in return, forcing himself to stop shifting his hips. "S-So, um, did I do okay? I thought I was gonna faint once, my heart was pounding _so_ fast, and sometimes I kept stuttering..."  
  
"You did _great._ " he reassured her, smiling more genuinely despite his current predicament. "Your questions were direct and professional, and you made sure she told you the specifics instead of giving you vague qualities. I'd say you took down the boss." Granted, he hadn't been able to focus on _everything_ they had said, but whenever he _had_ managed to tune in it seemed to be going well. Yeah, his praise was genuine enough, and it seemed to give her the boost of confidence he was aiming for.  
  
"Thanks, Akira. I'm glad I'm getting better, e-even if I still have a long way to go." Futaba twirled a bit of her hair around her finger, ducking her head bashfully. "I think I know what kinda stuff I want now, so we've just gotta track them all down and put them in the cart! Come on, the monitors are down this way!"  
  
Biting his tongue until he tasted a hint of blood to avoid releasing the groan in the back of his throat, he nodded, following beside her as she took off through the customers and wandered the aisles, crossing things off of her list as she went. He soon found himself dropping back to a few paces behind her, trying to adjust the waistband of his pants or shoving his hands into his pockets again, unable to resist the need to apply whatever pressure he could get to that area. Occasionally he had to get some things off of the higher shelves for her, and he had to pretend he was gasping from the weight of the boxes he was pulling down and not from the waves of desperation crashing through his bladder as he stretched upwards. After dropping a particularly heavy speaker into the cart, he was left trembling.  
  
"If you don't need me to reach anything else, I'd like to rest here for a minute."  
  
"Yeah, sorry I've been making you do most of the grunt work! You're just so tall, y'know? But I think I'll be okay getting a few of the smaller things by myself!"  
  
He leaned against one of the shelves and tried to find a calmer rhythm for his breathing as she wheeled the cart around a corner and disappeared from sight. He'd been training enough to be in shape for grunt work like this, but focusing half of his energy on keeping his muscles in check was starting to drain him. And after that last movement, he really needed to stand still and keep his legs crossed for a bit until it was safe to walk again. _She should be at the end of her list though. We won't be in here for much longer. I just need to tough it out._  
  
Steeling himself with the thinnest breath he could take without aggravating his condition, he started to make his way to the other end of the aisle.  
  
A sudden urge ran through him then, much stronger and more sudden than the rhythmic throbbing he'd been dealing with for the last hour of this trip. This one was sharp, painful enough to pull a hitch of breath past his lips, and he didn't even have a chance to try and squeeze anything tighter before he felt warmth spreading around his sore area. Breath catching in his throat and hearing nothing but the sudden rush of blood and his heart pounding in his ears, Akira clenched every muscle he possibly could where he was standing, keeping his thighs glued together and not daring to inhale again until he felt the leak stop. It had only been able to escape for a couple of seconds, not enough to dampen anything besides his boxers, but it was enough to make him realize that he needed to leave _now._  
  
Trying to ignore his spastic heartrate and the burning feeling of how hot his face was, he walked as quickly-but-calmly to the cart as he was capable of. "Futaba-"  
  
"Oh great, I was just about to get you!" The ginger started, already pushing the cart and gesturing for him to follow. "I'm ready to check out, but...I could really use you here, okay?" She fiddled with the stem of her glasses, glancing up at him for reassurance.  
  
Right. Of course she wouldn't want to do the most stressful part of shopping alone. There was chitchat with the cashier, constantly watching the items and trying to keep track of the prices being rung up, and that _split-second_ of panic that you didn't bring enough money even if you'd checked your wallet _twice_ beforehand.  
  
It was all he could do not to bite his lip as he weighed his options. He really, _really_ wanted to just bolt out of here and then come back to help, but that would leave her waiting here in line with all these impatient strangers...  
  
"Next!"  
  
It was only two people before their turn. He could hold it for the few minutes it would take to check out...  
  
He forced a smile to go with his nod. "Of course. Come on, let's get in line."  
  
He was already regretting his choice five minutes later.  
  
The two carts in front of them were _packed to the brim_ with items. The first one only had half of their purchases scanned so far, and he found himself shifting from foot-to-foot as subtly as he could manage, or pretending to look at the impulse-buy products on the rack nearby just so he had an excuse to pace back and forth. Anything to keep from having to stand still.  
  
" _Bsst!_ How are you holding up?"  
  
Morgana had been remarkably quiet since their deal, and the sudden vocal reminder that he was still in the backpack, even as a whisper, was startling enough to cause Akira to flinch, dropping the phone case he had been pretending to inspect. Bending over to grab it from the floor had his eyes watering as his brimming bladder screeched and wailed with overwhelming urgency, and as soon as he managed to put it back on the hook he had to clench his legs together and rock on his heels, breathing carefully through his nose in order to avoid panting.  
  
"I'm..." Ugh...He couldn't lie to Mona, or he'd get called out by that smug meow in a heartbeat. Maybe it would even help, to vent a bit. These phone cases weren't distracting enough. "It's _really_ bad..." he moaned quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets as he turned to pace again. "Like, I feel like I'm going to _explode_ in the _next few seconds_ bad. This is _so much worse_ than anything I can remember as a kid..."  
  
"If you're in that much pain, _please_ tell her and just go already? I don't like seeing you suffer."  
  
He grit his teeth at the feline's plea, but he had to admit, he was mulling it over by this point. If he left right now, he could run and be back before those slow carts even finished their checkouts! Then he could help Futaba. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to tell her-"  
  
" _Akira!_ Um, p-please return to the checkpoint! I-It's our turn!"  
  
Cursing under his breath, he took a hand out of his pocket to run through his hair, hurrying to the panicking girl's side. His eyes widened slightly at the clear space before him. How had that second cart gotten through the line so quickly?!? Had he really been _that_ distracted?  
  
_I can't dart out now, not when it's our turn, but...I really don't know how much longer I can wait...It's already damp down there..._ Fuck, just the thought of his earlier leak was making the urge so much worse!  
  
"H-Hey, um, your face looks kinda red. Are you okay?"  
  
He felt his face flush with even more heat at Futaba's question, glancing away to help pull items out of their cart to pass to the cashier. "I'm fine." he murmured, trying his best to keep his voice steady. "It's just...kind of hot in here."  
  
"Yeah, I guess it is. But don't worry, you get to pick what we do after this! We can get a drink or whatever you want!"  
  
_A drink is the last thing I want right now!_  
  
He was pretty sure the amount of liquid in his abdomen had _doubled_ in the sheer ten minutes they spent watching the cashier scan and bag their purchases. He couldn't stand still at all now, always shifting his weight or finding an excuse to fidget with something, and he was leaning against the counter any chance he could take, just to get that extra bit of hunching against the tidal waves. _Hurry up, come on, please please pleaseeee hurry up!_  
  
"Would you like to sign up for one of our store cards? Ooh! Maybe you'd like our additional warranty policy?"  
  
He was yanked out of his repeating mantra of mental prayers when Futaba grabbed his left arm, squeezing it slightly to catch his attention. A glance down revealed the slight panic in her eyes, and he tried to tune back in to what the cashier was saying. Ugh, no wonder she was freaking out, those types were awfully pushy, and all of the questions could be overwhelming.  
  
"She _doesn't_ want anything else, _thanks._ " He didn't even bother trying to smile as he said it. It wasn't like him to get snippy in public, and he knew it wasn't fair (after all, he sometimes had to do the same thing during his part-time jobs), but all of his patience was currently being channeled into _not peeing right here in the checkout lane._ "Just give us the receipt."  
  
A stare that might have been more of an unintentional-death-glare seemed to be enough to get the point across, and soon Futaba had the bags in her arms (the heavier computer equipment would be mailed to Sojiro's home) and was walking towards the store exit, much too slowly for Akira's liking.  
  
"H-Hey, um, thanks again for coming with me today, and helping me out back there and stuff. I had no idea what any of those questions-"  
  
"IneedthebathroomrightnowI'llmeetyouatthefoodcourt!"  
  
The words had come out in a breathy, jumbled rush, and he honestly couldn't bring himself to care whether she'd heard a single bit as he shoved his single bag of games into her arms, slipped past her and speed-walked to the right, weaving and occasionally stumbling through the crowds of the shopping center as he scanned the areas for a restroom sign. He had to stop once or twice to press a hand between his legs or cross them, squirming in place until the strongest urges passed. _Where is it?!?_  
  
"A-Akira, _wait up!"_  
  
Futaba squeezed through a couple of people to his left, panting as she stopped next to him. "Wh-Why did you just _ditch me_ b-back there?!?" Her voice broke on a couple of syllables, and he could see the distress and hurt in her face, but he couldn't come up with an answer before another surge of need caused him to shudder, nearly bending in half as he hunched over and squeezed himself tighter, a strangled whine sounding in the back of his throat. His backpack answered for him as Morgana poked his head out, feeling free to speak now that they weren't in a specific store.  
  
"He was too much of a gentleman to leave you alone in the store, but now he's about to soak himself and he _really_ needs to find the bathroom!"  
  
"S-Sorry, I shouldn't h-have ditch-"  
  
"N-No, Akira, it's fine!" Futaba interrupted his murmured apology, digging through her jacket for her phone. "Lucky for you, I, er, I always map out places like that ahead of time, j-just in case! C'mon, follow me!"  
  
Straightening up as gingerly as he could, Akira shuffled after her, unable to help keeping one hand clutched to his crotch as they weaved through the crowds in the opposite direction he'd been heading.  
  
"I guess Futaba's our official 'Group Navigator' outside of Palaces too, huh?" Morgana mewed from inside the backpack. When he didn't respond, only able to groan under his breath as he kept tabs on the redhead a few steps ahead of him, he felt soft fur brush the back of his neck, then a rough tongue, all in a quick movement. "Just hang in there Akira. You may not have listened to my _expert_ advice-" his companion mewed, unable to help a little 'I told you so'. "-but everything's going to be okay. We're both here to help you."  
  
~~~  
  
"It should be just around this corner...yup, we've reached our destination!"  
  
The words had barely reached his ears before Akira was barreling past her, the girl managing to step out of the way at the last possible second as he hurried to the door. Thank goodness she'd found it, he wasn't sure he could last another minute before-  
  
_"No..."_    
  
It was more of a whimpered sound than an actual word, incredulous and disbelieving. He yanked on the door handle again, his other hand firmly gripping his crotch. Heaven's Gate still didn't budge, and his eyes flickered up to finally catch sight of the 'Out of Order' sign taped on the door. No, it _couldn't_ be closed, not after he'd just barely made it here!  
  
_"F-Fuck..."_  
  
He could feel another stream run down his left leg as he hunched over, twisting up in place as he rocked on his heels and tried to clench his muscles. He was going to piss himself right here in the shopping center, wasn't he? He was so desperate he couldn't even think, every ounce of concentration focused on keeping himself in control.  
  
"U-Um, Akira, don't panic, okay!?! Mona, guard our stuff!" The backpack was yanked roughly off of Akira's shoulders, forcing him to pull his hands off of his crotch for a few moments to disentangle himself from the straps before Futaba ended up ripping his arms off. He caught Morgana's startled yowl as the bag landed against the base of the wall with a thud, followed by smaller thuds as Futaba dumped her armload of shopping bags next to it. He almost asked if Morgana was okay, but he had to grit his teeth against another gasp as his bladder contracted viciously, sending his body crumpling as he doubled over and tried to cross his legs tighter against the spasm.  
  
_Fuck, it hurts...like someone's stabbing me right there with a knife!_  
  
"Hang on for like two minutes, okay? Come on, just keep that stamina meter from depleting for a little bit longer!" Before he had a chance to react Futaba had grabbed his hand with a sharp tug, leaving him stumbling along and trying to clutch himself with his other hand as she hurried through the crowds again.  
  
"F-Futaba, slow down! Ah! _Please!"_  
  
Despite his gasping pleas and the few extra leaks starting to slip out, she didn't slow her pace until she reached a door. Finally letting go, she bashed it with much more force than he would have expected from her small frame, and then he was being shoved through the doorway.  
  
"Move it ladies, coming through! Just mind your own business, _got it?!?"_  
  
He could hardly believe those authoritative shouts were coming from Futaba, who was pushing him past several squealing girls and women without flinching in what he was dimly beginning to realize was a bathroom. The girls' bathroom. Whether it was the bathroom part or the other part that sent a fresh stream of warmth running down his legs, he wasn't sure, but his face flushed bright red as he tried to duck down and clutch himself, all while struggling not to fall on his face from all of the pushing.  
  
Finally they both stumbled into the largest stall, and she slammed the door and locked it. "We've reached the Safe Room!" she chuckled, although it came out shakily as she glanced away, her face nearly as red as his was.  
  
"Thanks..." His own voice was nearly as breathless as he tried to untangle his limbs, hurrying over to the toilet. The spasms were hitting hard though, and he whined under his breath as he grabbed his crotch again, squeezing as hard as he could. _Oh fuck, I can't just...not here..._ A longer stream shot down his legs, the already moist fabric clinging to them along his inner thighs as they began to get soaked, and he barely cut off the flow with another shuddering whine.  
  
"Akira? A-Are you, u-um...?"  
  
If it was possible for him to burst into flames from the sheer heat of embarrassment, he was pretty sure he would be right now. But it was either begging for help or peeing all over himself (well, worse than he had already).  
  
"U-Um, could you pl-please, um...my belt..." he gasped out, unable to stop rocking in place now. He could feel a stronger surge coming now, and he was sure that would be the end of all of this, whether he wanted it or not. "I-If you c-could just get that, I-I think I can do the rest!"  
  
Seeming to catch the urgency of the task, she ran over, awkwardly reaching around his midsection and fumbling with the metal and leather. He was writhing now, hopping from foot to foot, twisting, _anything_ that could buy him a few more seconds. "Please, _please..."_  
  
"Sorry, I'm trying! Y-You're kind of moving a lot!"   
  
Another dribble of urine spurted out, and he almost sobbed as the sensation ran through him, unable to do anything more with her hands blocking his pants. It hurt so much by now that his only indication of whether it had started or stopped was the burst of warmth, and these leaks weren't giving him any relief at all. "Oh fuck Futaba, I-I can't hold it!"  
  
"Got it!" The belt was unhooked and left dangling as the girl ducked away, hastily making her way to the opposite end of the stall while he fumbled to unzip. Not a moment too soon, as he'd barely had the coordination to get positioned before loud hissing became the only sound in the bathroom. The splashing in the bowl echoing around the stall was almost taunting, as if it was being especially noisy _just_ to remind him that such a private moment wasn't _actually_ private right now, but being uncomfortably _shared_ with his friend facing the wall behind him. If he hadn't already lost control by this point, he'd probably have found it hard to get started.  
  
As bad as the emotional discomfort was though, the physical was even worse. He'd been so anxious to find some relief earlier, had fantasized about how _good_ it would feel to release all of the pressure, but he still wasn't feeling any relief. If anything, the release felt even _worse_ than holding it. He had to bite down on his lip to muffle occasional gasps and hisses of pain as his stream continued to blast out of him, surprisingly hot and irritating something that was already so sore from all of the torture he'd gone through. His muscles still felt tight and cramped, but he couldn't cut himself off for long enough to ease into a gentler pace, and every breath was still sending light waves of pain through a bladder that was still so full.  
  
He eventually found himself slumping over to half-kneel on the toilet, too exhausted by his body's efforts and trying to stand on legs that felt like gelatin. After another minute he gave up trying to bite back the gasps, alternating between soft pants and the occasional moan as he was left to ride out the sensations of waiting for his bladder to empty.  
  
Finally, _blissfully,_ the firehose between his legs began to slow down to a trickle, then stopped. He took a few moments to catch his breath and recover, then squeezed one more time to push the last bit out, wincing as his weak abdomen protested.  
  
_It's going to take a while for this ache to go away, isn't it?  
  
_ Groaning, he stood back up on shaky legs, tucking himself back in and taking his sweet time fixing his pants and belt. The longer he could prolong having to turn around, the better...  
  
"U-Um, Akira? Are you, uh...are you done?"  
  
The voice was barely audible, Futaba's voice having pitched into a squeak towards the end of the question. He found himself struggling to force his own voice past his lips, the words coming out hoarse and dry. His head and neck were so hot he felt like he'd been thrown into an incinerator.  
  
"Yeah, uh...I'm done..."  
  
He finally forced himself to turn around, his eyes only meeting her gaze for a second before he glanced away and started walking towards the stall door. His fingers clasped around the handle, but he hesitated and looked back at Futaba, clearing his throat to buy a few seconds before speaking.  
  
"Could you, er...check and see if the coast is clear? I don't really want people to see me like this...or at all..." He was trying to force his tone back into the calm, collected one he usually had, but it wasn't quite working. It was just quiet, and a bit defeated.  
  
"Oh, uh, y-yeah. Hang on..." She slipped past him once he stepped away from the handle, slowly unlocking it and peeking her head out. "Don't worry, it's all clear!"  
  
He waited as she stepped out first, hurrying to the sink to wash her hands. She grimaced for a second before she reached for the soap, and another layer of embarrassment clung to him as he realized he'd probably gotten her hands wet while she was helping with his belt. Slinking out of the cover of the stall, he moved to wash his own hands, making sure to leave an empty sink between them. He ducked his head slightly as he murmured out an apology. "I'm, uh...Sorry about that..."   
  
"Huh? Oh, uh, i-it's fine! R-Really, it'll wash off! I mean, I-I guess it's a lot easier to deal with than your pants-"  
  
He could see the instant regret on her face as she slapped a soap-covered hand to her mouth, but that did nothing to alleviate the fresh fear inside of him at that reminder. He'd opted for light jeans instead of his uniform pants today, and a panicked glance in the mirror as he stepped back to get a full view confirmed the damage he'd caused on the way here. Trying to spot clean would only make the dark patches bigger, and paper towels definitely weren't going to dry them enough.  
  
"Oh geez, Akira, I-I'm sorry! I, uh, I-I didn't mean, um..."  
  
"No, don't apologize. It's the truth. And it's my fault I got into this mess in the first place, so I've just...got to deal with it."  
  
Before he could decide _how_ to deal with it though, Futaba had quickly dried her hands off, then stepped closer. "Um, here..." She'd slipped out of her favourite jacket and had started pulling it around his waist, tying the sleeves together before she shot him a thin smile. "That should cover most of it, I think..."  
  
He found it in him to return her smile with a bashful one of his own. "Thank you, Futaba. I'll, er, I'll make sure to wash it before I bring it back to you."  
  
"It's no problem." She fell quiet for a minute, toying with her long hair, and he could tell that she was trying to work through whatever she wanted to say next. "Are you, uh...are you okay?" she finally managed, glancing up at him. "Like, I know that all of that was, u-um...I'm sure you're not _great,_ obviously, but...how are you doing?"  
  
Reaching to grab a towel to dry his own hands, he sighed heavily. "I'm sore. And mortified." he stated, attempting a half-hearted chuckle to try and play it off. He was the collected one, the member of their group who just could go along with anything in the moment, who could take the unexpected in stride and adapt. He couldn't quite manage that vibe this time.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair. _"I feel stupid."_ he admitted softly, the self-loathing practically dripping in his words.  
  
"Akira, you're not an idiot..."  
  
"I could have ditched that store way earlier, there was nothing actually _stopping me._ But instead I overestimated myself and just kept putting it off, because I thought that...er, I was afraid to..." He trailed off, glancing down to study the white tiles on the floor. There was no way to phrase it without making it sound like he was putting the blame on Futaba, or risking making her feel like she was a burden, and he wasn't about to do that to her. The blame was entirely on him for this.  
  
"Mona said you didn't want to leave me in the store. You were afraid I'd totally freak out if I was alone, right? That it might be like that other time...y'know, with the officer and stuff?" When he didn't answer after her window of silence, she sighed under her breath. "I'm not gonna lie, I might've panicked, with how pushy all the other customers were today. It was a _madhouse_ in there..." She backed up to lean against the wall, crossing her arms. "But listen, Akira...even if it does mean I end up facing my fears before I'm ready...I don't want you _hurting yourself_ just to protect me! I know I've got a long way to go, but that means I've got to deal with some struggles, right? You don't have to keep the path clear 24/7! So, uh, next time, just tell me if something's bothering you or you have to step away to deal with other stuff, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I will. Sorry."  
  
"Don't apologize. Y'know, I'm not sure I'm the best at comforting people since my social stats are at, like, _zero,_ but if it helps you feel any better about it...I've, um...I've done the same thing before. Loads of times."  
  
"You have?" He glanced up at her, curiosity piqued.  
  
"Y-Yeah..." She chuckled breathily, her cheeks flushing. "Even back before I was a geeky shut-in, I used to be kinda intimidated when it came to speaking up about that stuff. I just...I didn't want to interrupt people, and it made me feel like a burden to inconvenience them. So I'd wait for some pretty ridiculous amounts of time, and I had some, uh, pretty close calls. That's why I started making sure to map out all the public ones, so I'd be prepared if we went out or knew where I could slip away while people I was with were distracted."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you were prepared, I guess. This would have been even worse without you."  
  
"Y-Yeah, probably. But, uh, anyway, just...know that it's not an inconvenience or anything, okay? Even if it seems like I need you, tell me next time. I'll try to work on that too around you guys..."  
  
"Okay. Thanks, Futaba." Akira nodded, flashing her a slight smile. This was still awkward, but he appreciated that she'd tried to comfort him, and knowing that she'd been in similar scenarios did ease the blow to his pride a little bit. He could probably face the outside world now. "We should probably get out of here. People could come in soon."  
  
"Right. Mona's probably getting tired of waiting for us too." She pulled the door open, leading the way back out into the shopping center. "Um, once we get our stuff, do you just wanna head back to Leblanc? I think we've had enough excitement here today, y'know?"  
  
Besides the obvious reasons like cleaning up and changing clothes, he was sure she wasn't just offering for his sake. All of this had definitely been stressful for her too, not to mention all of the chaos at the electronics store before that. She was probably both drained and overloaded by now.  
  
"Yeah, we can do that. We could try out some of the games I picked up. Or if you'd rather split off for the day, I'm fine with that too."  
  
"Let's just split off then. I'm probably just gonna pass out in my bed when I get back home." she murmured, clasping a hand over her mouth to fight off a yawn.  
  
They walked in tired silence for a few minutes while Futaba scrolled through the map on her phone, but he eventually spoke up again. "You know, you were really different when you were dragging me into that bathroom." At the apprehensive expression on her face, he hurried to reassure her. "I'm not saying it was bad or anything! You were just...you know, shouting orders. You didn't hesitate or apologize, you acted like you owned the place. It was actually impressive."  
  
"Really?" She ducked her head slightly to hide her grin. "I-I didn't really mean to shout like that, it just kinda happened. I was really worried about you and I knew that was our last chance, and I guess I started viewing it like a mission in Mementos or a Palace...you know, I just had to buckle down and keep us moving to our goal no matter what got in the way, l-like when I'm navigating for us. Total Phantom Thief Mode. I mean, once we actually got in the stall I started panicking again, so I guess it wasn't _that_ impressive, but-"  
  
"No, Futaba, it _is._ Even if it was just for a few minutes, you were still brave. If you can keep conquering that anxiety for a little bit at a time, it'll start to feel more natural. I think today was a sign of real improvement. If it helps, slip into Oracle once in a while. I slip into Joker all the time when I need some extra confidence." he admitted, placing a hand on her shoulder for a moment. "Keep it up, and your social stats will be maxed out in no time." he chuckled.  
  
"Thanks, I will."  
  
~~~  
  
"What took you guys so long!?!" A loud yowl rang in his ears as they reached the wall near the closed men's room. "Do you have _any idea_ what I've had to go through to guard all of this stuff!?! I had to claw a couple of punks who got too close! A little girl thought I was lost and tried to carry me home! I think I heard someone mention calling _animal control_ to 'pick up a stray'! I can't do much in this form, you know!"  
  
Reaching down to grab his backpack and the hissing cat while Futaba grabbed the shopping bags, he gave Morgana a scratch behind the ears. "I'm sure it was a nightmare. But remember, I promised you that sushi when we got home, right? You kept your end of the bargain, so I'm still keeping mine."  
  
The bag vibrated against his back as Morgana settled down, purring intensely. "That's true...I _suppose_ things can be smoothed over~" The purring ceased momentarily though, and he felt the bag shift again as his companion stood back up, poking his head out and mewing into his ear. "Hey, uh, you're alright, aren't you? I know I just gave you an earful, but I really _was_ worried when you both ran off like that...What happened? Do you need anything?"  
  
"I'll be fine. Everything's taken care of, and Futaba helped a lot. I think once we get back I'm just going to bathe and go to bed early."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. I'm glad you're _finally_ listening to my advice about the importance of getting proper sleep!~" he purred smugly, butting his head against his neck before snuggling back into the bag. "Just wake me once the sushi is ready. Guarding all of your possessions is almost as tiring as fighting Shadows..."  
  
Akira was careful not to shake the backpack too heavily while he took his shopping bags from Futaba's armload, the girl smiling gratefully at him for removing some of the burden before she spoke. "Are you ready to go?" She kept her voice to a whisper, careful not to wake the dozing feline.  
  
"Yep. Lead us back to the checkpoint, Oracle."  
  
"It's actually a _spawn_ point if it's where you started from." she corrected, putting on a fake tone of contempt. "But good effort, noob. I'll make a geek out of you one day."  
  
"I look forward to it." he chuckled, grateful to relax back into their usual friendly banter. Reaching a free hand down to feel the sleeve of the jacket around his waist was reassuring, like she'd given him a shield to protect him from the earlier incident. Yes, he could go home and put this whole embarrassing moment behind him. Except for a few of the sweeter moments, like Futaba's growing support and social improvements, and Morgana's concern and reassurance. He would keep those memories. They were good reminders of how lucky he was, to have found such loyal, loving confidants, friends that would stick with him throughout all of the difficult times, be it here or in the Metaverse...


End file.
